Saltram

Saltram sits in 500 acres of parkland above the Plym estuary on the eastern edge of Plymouth, a Tudor house that the Parker family wrapped in Georgian wings to create one of Devon's grandest Palladian mansions, later the stand-in for Norland Park in the 1995 film of Sense and Sensibility. Inside, Robert Adam's Saloon and dining room keep their original furnishings, alongside rare hand-painted Chinese wallpapers and portraits by Joshua Reynolds, born nearby in Plympton. Reviewers single out the volunteer guides in almost every room, the extensive kitchen quarters and a sensory display where you can smell a naval battle. Outside, level paths lead through the garden to the orangery, the pond and the Chapel Cafe, with tables under old trees; dogs are welcome across the whole park but not in the house or garden buildings. Two 1-mile circular walks start from the car park and loop the parkland. Tips from regulars: follow the brown signs from the A38 rather than your sat nav and the cafe has a good choice of vegan ice creams.